Friends are Forever
by Rain4evah
Summary: A friendship-story I've made after a request. After a quarrel, Cavin and Cubbi agrees thei're no more friends. But Igthorn has another evil plan coming up, and the quarrel will get both lads in trouble when the Duke reliese it. It will be a bit of drama, but not too bad.
1. Chapter 1

One ordinary morning in Gummi Glen, the gummies were gathered for breakfast. They were hungry, so they ate the porridge Grammi had made, although it was only Tummi who showed any specific appreciation about the meal.

"Now eat up! There's more where this comes from." Grammi said and poured some more porridge into the bowls of Gruffi and Tummi. Tummi licked his lips and started eating with pleasure, but Gruffi huffed.

"Like I didn't have enough to worry about this day."

"Now what's that, Gruffamondo?" Gusto said as he were to swallow his water.

"There's the quick-cars, there's the basement pillars, there's the water wheel in the underground river..." Gruffi were summing up everything that needed to be checked and fixed on his fingers while Gusto really wasn't paying attention. Gruffi noticed and gave him small eyes. "...so I was' hoping' to get some help with this to get it finished by the end of the week."

"Sorry Gruffi, I can't help you." Tummi said. "I'm gonna work with my garden today."

"Me neither. I've got a grandiose project to finish!" Gusto gesticulated with his arms do demonstrate that it was a massive picture.

"And I'm afraid I have to spumerate some nells... eh- numerate some spells." Zummi stumbled and shook his head. " I'll be busy all day."

Cubbi hurried to finished his bowl and jumped down from his chair. "And where do you think you're going?" Gruffi noticed him as he was about to leave.

Cubbi turned back. "I'm off to the castle to see Cavin." he explained. He saw the blaming look on Gruffi's face and his smile faded. "But it's ages since I've been there."

"And what if you didn't have time this morning?" Gruffi asked as he stood up from his chair with a raised eyebrow with his hands on his hips.

"Now let him go, Gruffi. The young ones needs to have some fun." It was typical for Grammi to give in to the children, especially when it came to Cavin. Grammi had a special soft spot for the human boy. "Greet him from me, darling. It's so long since we've seen him. Why don't you invite him over? I'm sure he'll want that!"

Cubbi cheerfully gave a bounce of happiness. "Thanks Grammi. I will!"

And by that the little pink gummi bear were off. Gruffi sat down again, moaning while reasting his chin in his hand. "Cubs!

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Cubbi were a bit too quick when he climbed out of the secret round swing-door in the wall, because he had to hurry back inside when someone suddenly appeared from his left. After he made sure he were alone, he climbed out again. So he decided to run towards the stables, where he knew he would find Cavin if not at once, then some part of the day. But also this time he were to quick, because he almost ran into Sir Tuxford who were coming right ahead. He hurried to find cover behind a case that stood there. He would be visible from one side, but they were walking in the other direction, so there were little chance he would be seen, he thought.

"And then there is the stables. Don't forget to feed the horses and provide them fresh water." The knight said.

"Yes, Sir." Cavin answered from where he was walking behind him.

As he walked past him where he stood, Cubbi saw that Cavin followed him in his heels, with a pair of heavy saddle bags in his arms. Cubbi waited till Sir Tuxford had passed before he gave Cavin a hint to where he was.

"Pst! Cavin!"

Cavin stopped a short moment looking around.

"Over here!"

Cavin looked down to his left, and then chocked a gasp. "Cubbi! You could be spotted! What are you doing here?" he whispered.

"To see you, of course." Cubbi replied.

"Shhh! Not so loud!" Cavin hissed between his teeth.

"Now, what's taking so long, lad?" Sir Tuxford said impatient.

"Hurry and hide! I'll be in the stables." he whispered to Cubbi before turning back to Sir Tuxford.

Cubbi looked after him, and then went to another corner. He thought Cavin had been a bit short to him, and he hadn't been so happy to see him as Cubbi had hoped. "Maybe if I invite him over to the Glen like Grammi said, he'll be happy?" he said to himself and then he hurried to the stables.

#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#/#

"Now what took you so long, lad?" Sir Tuxford said with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry, Sir Tuxford. I... got a pebble in my boot."

The knight shook his head, and Cavin moved ahead towards the horses that stood ready for Sir Tuxford and King Gregor. Near them stood six guards waiting with their horses prepared, for a long days' march.

"Where exactly are you going, Your Majesty?" Cavin asked as he fasten the saddle bag behind the Kings horse.

"To the other side of the forest to see to the village nearby." the elder King replied. "We have heard that Igthorn had a visit there recently. Thank you, lad." King Gregor said as Cavin held the rains of his horse before the King climbed into the saddle. "Better to figure out if there is anything we need to fear from him."

Then Cavin moved on to Sir Tuxford's horse and fastened the saddle bag behind and helped the knight up on its back. "All set then?" the Knight asked.

"Yes, Sir." Cavin asnwered.

"I'm sorry you cannot come along lad, but you know there's plenty to do at the moment."

"I understand, Sir Tuxford. But I'll be alright." Cavin said while he tried to hide how dissapointed he was.

"Good, lad. And see to Unwin, if he's alright. I'm sure he'll be grateful for that."

"Yeah, right." Cavin muttered while looking away.

"Let us be off then!" The King said. "The sooner we learn of Igthorn's plans, the safer we all might be."

Cavin watched His Majesty and Sir Tuxford leave through the gate along with their escort. Then he sighed and returned to the stable with lowered head.

The horses neighed as he arrived. They were hungry, and an impatient stallion started biting the poles in his box.

"Yes yes, you'll get your food. Stop nagging." Cavin said and patted it's mule. "But duties to His Majesty comes first, you know."

He went to the hay piles outside to grab a pile when suddenly Cubbi jumped out. "Hi, Cavin!"

Cavin got startled and dropped the hay on the ground. "Oh, Cubbi! You've got to be more careful!"

"Sorry." he said and picked hay out of his hat. "Where were the King off to?"

"To find out of Igthorn is up to something." he said and picked up the hay again before he walked towards the impatient stallion. "He's been spotted several places recently, and the King is worried he might have... plans." he said as he threw the pile over to the horse, who started eating greedy. "I was actually supposed to come along." he said disappointed. "But I wasn't allowed."

"Well, how great you didn't. Then we can go have fun instead!" Cubbi jumped up on the frame on the horses box.

"No, I can't." Cavin explained and went to find another pile of hay.

Cubbi followed him. "But why not? They'll be gone for a while, won't they?"

"Yeah, but that's not the problem." Cavin picked up a new pile hay. " You see, Unwin..."he interrupted himself to blow a straw away his face "...hurt his foot. He fell off his horse and broke it during a battle practice. So now I have to do all his chores as well as my own. And not only that!" He threw the pile into another box and let his fingers through his hair in frustration while me made a face. "He can't move around on his own, so I have to bring him stuff, like food and water and all. He's nagging my head off! I think he does it on purpose just to bother me."

"Aw, what a drag." Cubbi said. "Is that why we haven't seen you for a while?"

"Aha." Cavin said leaning to the box for a moment with a sigh. "I haven't had a break in several days!"

"Well, I was hoping you had some time so we could go and have some fun, but if you're stuck with duties..." Cubbi looked up at him. "How about tomorrow?"

"I don't know, Cubbi." Cavin scratched the horse's mane while it started eating. "Just right now it's a bit much going on. I can't just run off like that now." But when he looked down, he saw how disappointed Cubbi became. "But... if I manage to finish off today's chores, I might get some time off, either tomorrow, or another day. I don't know, I can't promise anything."

Cubbi lightened up. "I'm sure you will. Sir Tuxford can't keep you occupied all the time."

"Well strictly spoken, he can." Cavin said thoughtful. "But lately, I've been working none-stop. I have earned a day off sooner or later."

"You sure deserve that." Cubbi said. "I'm sure he'll agree. I'll come back tomorrow then."

"Alright." Cavin said as he walked him out of the stables and prepared another pile of hay."Greet the others from me, will you? I've really missed you guys."

"I will. Promise!" Cubbi said and waved when he were off.

"But be careful now. Don't get spotted." Cavin called after him.

"I AM careful." Cubbi said as he disappeared behind the piles.

Cavin sighed and led his fingers through his hair again. "I wish you would be." he mumbled to himself, but got interrupted by another horse neighing from inside the stables and turned back. "Yeah yeah, I'm coming, I'm coming!"


	2. Chapter 2

Elsewhere, far away from the Castle, there were a large group of ogres gathered around the evil Duke Igthorn at the edge of the forest. He was in his better mood for once, and laughed loudly. "Oh, why must I be so clever?" the evil human said, holding one hand against his chest of self-admiration. "I will truly succeed this time, don't you think Toadwart?"

"Todie not certain, Oh so Cleverness." his little companion Toadwart said, looking like he was thinking. "Not happened so many times."

The self-possessed Duke pretended he didn't hear the little ogre's comment, and continued bragging. "It took weeks just to find the parts I needed around in local villages, but at last I've done it!" He looked up at the huge construction that he had in front of him.

"But Your Evilness," Toadwart asked. "What makes invention now better than ones made before?"

"You see, my dear Toadwart, that it's because this is a machine based on..." he found a book in the bag he had around his shoulder, "...this book about constructions written by gummi bears. I cannot believe I found this on the market of the town of Brightwin, and for a prize no more with a basket of apples!" he laughed. "That idiot weren't aware of what he had in his hand. Lucky for me then!"

"How is Dukie be certain gummi bears made book?" Toadwart asked.

"Because, you little imbecile, it stands here, black on white!" he folded it up on the first page. "Written by Emnesi Gummi, Head-engineer of Gummi-Inventions-League, written in the year..." he looked on the page, and shrugged. "Well, the date of year doesn't matter. What matters is..." he looked through the pages and found a picture of a construction similar to the one he had beside him. It would be a wide cylinder with something like a huge ball on top of it, with four smaller cylinders sticking out of it. On the bottom was a board that held the construction, and that were held up by four wheels. On top of the ball was a fan that went around a cockpit that was meant for steering. The picture showed a purple gummi bear in armor steering it. "... it will help me succeed!"

But the machine Igthorn had made weren't exactly as the picture; while the picture showed one that was of yellow painted metal, with the top cockpit in warm plum-purple, this one were made of a scrambled mix of wood and rusted metal. Toadwart looked a bit doubtful when he looked from the picture to the machine and then back to the picture again. "Doesn't look like original, Your Dukie Darkness."

The Duke got insulted. He grabbed the little ogre in his furry leathers and spoke right up to his face to their noses met. "Of course not, you silly fur-brain. The machine in the book is made for a tiny little gummi bear to drive. Mine had to be allot bigger to fit a grown man." He let go of the ogre, so he fell on the ground. While Toadwart was recovering from the landing, Igthorn turned to his machine again. "It will shoot heavy bullets of pure iron, with such a speed that it will break a wall within seconds! And with it, I shall march through the Castle, and shoot at those who try to oppose me. They won't have a chance against this. And I shall conquer Dunwin and take the throne!"

"But... what if machine doesn't work?" Toadwart said as he rose up, rubbing his rear end.

"That's what we're here to demonstrate. Zoot! Gad! Where are the iron bullets?" he shouted.

The two ogres weren't paying much attention to the construction they had carried out in the forest. They had more fun sitting by a pond, amusing themselves by making faces in the water. Gad made a pout with his tongue and stretched out his lips to both sides with his fingers while he made a blurping sound that made Zook laugh.

"That fun! Now me try!" He pulled down the skin around his eyes and pulled up his upper lip to make his mouth wider, and Gad laughed out loud while he held around his belly.

"AHAHAHA! Better!"

"What is it that's taking so long?!" the Duke's voice shouted even louder, and now the two ogres became aware of him.

"Huh? What Dukie want?" Gad asked.

Zook just shook his head while shrugging.

"THE IRON BULLETS! GET THEM OVER HERE!"

"Oh!" Zook said and suddenly remembered the bullets in the case they had beside him. The two ogres had to cooperate to lift the heavy case over to the machine.

"About time!" the Duke said annoyed. "Now start loading the machine."

The ogres opened the case and started putting small heavy round pullets with a stump, pointed tip into the four cylinders sticking out of the head of the machine. After a loading he said:"That's it to begin with. Now down!"

Gad got himself on all four and bent down so the Duke could climb up on his back so he could reach to the cockpit on top of the machine. "This wonderful invention will shoot these bullets with such a speed and force that they will pierce through whatever it would be. No armour and no castle walls will be able to resist it.

"But why take it all out here and not just try it on Dukie's Castle?" Toadwart asked. "Would be better to try it on actual castle, would it not?"

"And risk ruin my own castle?" Igthorn arched an eyebrow, looking at him like he was a compleat fool.

"But Dukie won't need Drekmore Castle once conquering Kings Castle!" Toadwarth proclaimed.

The Duke was about to reject him, when he thought a moment about what he said. " Hmm, you might have a point there... " Then he shrugged. "I'll figure out about that when I'm done with this. And STOP calling me Dukie! Now behold..." he said and begin pulling on a lever.

They ogres waited in excitement for the machine to react. After working hard under Igthorn's hand for weeks, they were curious to see what they had been working on really did.

They waited in vain, because the machine stood all still. It wasn't moving, it didn't even make a sound. The Duke seemed to be surprised by this, because his eyes widened. And after trying the lever one more time, then again, and again, until his nostrils grew wide every time he inhaled. "What's the matter with it?" he said between bitten teeth. "WHY ISN'T IT WORKING?"

Toadwart picked up the book from where Igthorn had left it on the ground, on the same page and read the page. "Eh, Dukie... seems to be a problem."

"You're not saying?!" he answered, his patience growing lower. "WHAT IS IT?"

"Machine needs fuel, Oh Rudeness." the little ogre answered.

"And _fuel_ happens to be...?"

"Gummiberry juice!" Toadwart answered, satisfied with finding the answer to the problem. "Stands here in book!" he pointed at the page with the script.

The Duke's lips became a thin line as he rolled his eyes, leaning his elbow to the frame of the cockpit while supporting his head on his hand. "Of all things. How obvious!" he sighed. "Well, there's only one thing to do then." the Duke said as he climbed down the machine.

"Go and have early lunch?" Toadwart suggested.

The Duke bent down, glaring him in the face, and the little ogre giggled nervously and shrugged.

"We must find one of these gummi bears, and force it to bring up some juice!" he rose up again, and spoke. "New plan, boys! Find a gummi bear!"

"Eh..." Gad said. "But where look for gummi bear?"

"ANYWHERE!"the Duke shouted in his face so loud the ogre lost his sence of direction for a moment. "NOW OFF WITH YOU ALL!"

The ogres started roaring and mumble and hurry around each other in search for one of the tiny bears. Duke Igthorn were left alone with the machine, leaning on it with a elbow. "Why? WHY?"

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"Well, that I must say! Well done here."

Cavin watched as Sir Tuxford inspected the leathers reins and saddles Cavin had been treating. The boy was quite satisfied with them, and he smiled when the knight satisfied his work. He also looked over the shelf's to find that blankets for the horses, left-over shoes and other tools had been carefully folded and cleaned and put on place.

"And the stables seemed clean as well. It hasn't been this fresh here for ages."

"Thanks, Sir. I were here most of yesterday to finish this. I even got up early today to feed the horses and give them water. And, there is one thing you need to know!" he pointed at the shelf where the blankets were. "This shelf is loose." The planks that worked as simple shelf's on the wall were held up by wooden triangles underneath them, but Cavin demonstrated how easily it was to loosen the middle one when it was touched. "But I couldn't find the carpenter so he could fix it. So it cannot be used more than necessary."

"I see. I'll make sure the carpenter learns of it." the knight said, hanging the rein he held back on place. "Indeed, that I must say. You have really been clever recently, Cavin."

"Thank you, Sir." Cavin smiled. Hopefully he was satisfied enough not to ask any more of him. He really felt for a break.

"So I suppose you can handle a bit more today. My armor needs to be polished, and there are a few weapons I would like you to look over."

Cavin's hope about a day of faded within a blink, and the smile on his face fell down. "But Sir, I..."

"What, lad?"

He suddenly hesitated, and he waited just a bit before he spoke. "I... I was hoping to have the day off today, since I finished everything yesterday."

Sir Tuxford's satisfaction also disappeared. "That you can forget, lad." A knight cannot have his rest whenever he wants."

"But Sir." Cavin couldn't hold back a moan. "I've been working non-stop forever now since Unwin hurt his foot."

"And because of that I cannot spare you, you know that." Sir Tuxford was staring to make his way out of the storage room. "Being a knight isn't all about fun, you know."

Cavin sighed. "I know that, Sir. But..."

"And while we're on it, have you looked for Unwin this morning as well?"

"I was there twice yesterday!"

"But what about today?"

Cavin sighed between bitten teeth. "No, Sir."

"Well, make sure you take do. He cannot walk on his own, you know." And by that, the knight left Cavin alone in the storage room.

"So much for that." he sank down on a wooden case and sighed heavily. He sat there for a minute before he heard something.

"Pst! Cavin?" Cavin felt how his heart skipped a beat as he heard Cubbi's voice. He breathed out in half relief, and half shock as he saw the little pink gummi bear appear out from the door. "Hi!"

Cavin didn't like that he had used the same way as his knight mentor had walked out of just a moment ago. "Cubbi, you didn't run into Sir Tuxford?" he hurried to the door and peeked out to see if he saw anyone.

"He walked past me, but he didn't see me. I'm s small I could hide behind a pole!" he said proudly.

Cavin moaned. "Oh, I wish you could be a bit more careful! I can't watch over you all the time."

"But I am careful, so you don't have to watch over me!" he said. "Are you ready? Where shall we go first?"

"Nowhere at first." Cavin sighed. "I'm sorry, Cubbi. I can't."

"But..." the disappointment were obvious in Cubbi's face.

"I asked Sir Tuxford, but he said no. Says he can't let me off while the situation is as it is. Unwin can't do anything, so I have to do everything!"

"But Cavin..." he started again.

Cavin started to be angry over the fact that Cubbi never seemed to understand. "You know, being a knight isn't just fun." he said, quoting what Sir Tuxford had said to him earlier. "Half of it is actually duties!"

"That didn't prevent you from going out to see us earlier!" Cubbi stated, a but frustrated himself.

"I know, and I got trouble for that. Besides, this is different. With Unwin down, someone has to..."

"But he never does anything for you!"

"That's not the point, Cubbi." Cavin answered, getting more and more frustrated, and forgot a moment to keep his voice down.

"You almost sound like you're defending him!" Cubbi sounded blaming as he spoke.

"No, I'm not! How can you even..."

"Cavin, are you still there? There was one more thing I wanted to ask you!"

Both Human and gummi bear froze as they heard Sir Tuxford arrive. "Oh no..." he looked panicky at Cubbi. "Hide!"

Cubbi looked around to find a hiding place. Then he spotted one above and bounced up, first at the wooden case where Cavin had been sitting, and then, at the shelf with the blankets. Cavin's eyes widened as he realized what would happen. "Cubbi, no! That one is loose!"

"Oh-oh..." the little pink bear said as he realized that the shelf was about to give in to his weight. But instead of jumping down, he kept creeping further on along the shelf. What worse was; it seemed like the shelf was in a worse state than Cavin had thought, because the shelf gave in not only one end, but the other as well. As this happened, Cubbi jumped off it and landed among the saddles.

"Watch out!" he said and jumped towards the saddles.

As the shelf gave in, blankets and tools and horse shoes slid down it like a slide on the case and on the floor. Cavin tried in vain to rescue some of the things, but he couldn't prevent the next thing that was about to happen. The shelf itself fell down at the shelf beneath it. And then that too gave in and loosened, stored with saddle balm, brushes and scrubs for the horses and scrapes for the hooves.

Cavin sank inside as he realized the noise that would follow.

And what a noise it was, a crescendo of metal hitting metal and wood breaking along with tumble and cracks and even the sound some glass breaking. It cave an echo that lasted a moment when Sir Tuxford peeked in through the door. "What on earth is going on here?

As the dust laid down, the massive result of Cubbi's accident approached. It was just like an ogre had stomped it's way though the wall. Everything that Cavin had stored up nicely and ordered were now in bundles on the floor, with both the shelf's over all the mess.

The knight's face became even more red than his hair. "What are you thinking of, lad?"

Cavin were now sitting up to the wall, with blankets and brushes all over him. He looked anxious up at him, understanding what was coming. "I- I-I... I can explain..." he begun as he rose, letting the blankets fall. But the knight didn't wait for it.

"Were this a vengeance for not letting you go today? Well, you can forget about going anywhere for a whole week for this! Get this cleaned up by noon, or you can forget about food today as well!" And then Sir Tuxford marched out in fury. Cavin was left in all the mess, realizing how bad things had become.

"Wow..." Cubbi said, peeking out from behidn the saddles where he had been hiding.

Cavin was suddenly unable to hold his frustration back, and grew angry as he spoke. "Thanks allot, Cubbi! Now I'm really in trouble!" he said as he tumbled out of the mess.

"But hey!" Cubbi said, getting angry himself. "How was I supposed to know that shelf was loose?"

"That's not the point!" Cavin leaned over him. "You're always being so rough and careless when you move around here! You take it for granted that I will hide you, and then things like this happens!" he gesticulated with his hands around him.

"Well, if you're gonna be that way..." Cubbi said, moving ahead for the door, "I won't come around anymore!"

"Go ahead! Just leave, I won't miss you!" he turned around with crossed arms. "I hope I never see you again!"

Cubbi stopped in the door at this, but then turned halfway back. "Don't worry: you won't!" and by that the little pink bear left the room, and once again, Cavin were alone. Only now in a mess where it once had been order.

Cavin stood there a minute, gathering himself after not only the mess and the shouting from Sir Tuxford, but the argument as well. It took him a while to calm down, and he didn't at all feel for cleaning up the mess Cubbi had made. But at last, he spoke up, waving his arms violently in the air. "Fine! Who needs him? I'll finally get something done without having a stupid gummi bear to constantly look after." He turned around, but his food hit the rest of one of the shelf's, and he cried out in pain and frustration and jumped up and down on one foot and held around the wounded one. As the pain lowered, he growled and cried out loud "Blasted!" as he kicked the plank. But that made him trip, and before he knew the word of it, he were laying between blankets and brushes again.


	3. Chapter 3

The rest of the morning, Cubbi hid in his room, and grumbled over the day's happening. He sat on his bed, holding around his knees. "It wasn't my fault!" he muttered angry. "It could have happened without me there! And besides..." he hit his fist in the sheets. "What kind of friend would prefer work over his best friend?"

With that statement, Cubbi jumped off his bed. "So what? I can have fun on my own. There are plenty of things I can do alone!"

He walked out of the door and was about to walk through the corridor when he heard a voice.

"There you are!"

Cubbi froze with one paw still in the air as Gruffi spoke. "Oh, eh... Hi, Gruffi."

"I thought you were off to the castle today?" Gruffi said, in his normally grumpy voice but with a questioning tone an arched eyebrow and his tool box in his hand.

"Eh... no, I wasn't." Cubbi didn't know how to explain the quarrel with Cavin. Gruffi would probably just say he couldn't care less, or say something like 'it was about time the two of you split up,. That's what I've said the whole time'. Gruffi hadn't always been happy about knowing humans, and now he had a perfectly good reason to keep them at distance. But he weren't given time to speak anymore at all, because Gruffi interrupted him.

"Good! Then you can come with me. I need help checking and securing the traps outside."

"Aw." Cubbi moaned. "Can't the traps wait till tomorrow?"

Gruffi turned at him and pointed a finger at his nose. "Don't go there, young bear! Being a gummi isn't all about fun, you know! There's hard work involved. That's how the Ancient Gummies managed, and that's the way you should learn to manage too. It's about time you start to learn what it means to actually do something around here. I'm pretty tired of you always running off whenever there's things to be done!"

Cubbi thought he sounded just like Cavin, and for a moment, he felt a sting inside at the thought of him. But he decided to swallow the comment and prove not only to Gruffi, but to Cavin that he too could work. "Fine. I'm coming!"

Gruffi nodded satisfied and waved his hand to him. "Well, come on, then. "

Cubbi followed Gruffi through the hallway and to the door in the wall in the living room that lead up to the surface. "Now, open the door, will ya?" he said.

Cubbi obeyed and opened the door and held it up for Gruffi so he could walk with all the heavy tools through it. But then something unexpected came rushing in a blink through the door, and crashed right into Gruffi as he was about to climb through it. Gruffi got thrown over, losing his tools all over the floor, but Gusto lightened up when he saw what he landed on. "Thanks for holding the door for me, Gruff-Luff." he said merrily while he jumped off Gruffi.

Gruffi grumbled and pushed himself up. "Nothing to thank for. I mean it! he said, dusting himself off and started picking up tools.

Gusto got himself up as well. "Alright, sorry. But really..." he giggled. "Who's idea was it to make the entrance like a water slide?"

Gruffi gave a sarcastic laugh back. "Alright. Let's hurry up!" he said and headed to the door once more.

"Woah, wait a minute!" Gusto said, widening his eyes. "You're not going out there, are you?"

"As a matter of fact, we are! We have traps we need to look after." Gruffi answered determinant.

Gusto hurried to block the way for both with his arms stretched out. "But this isn't the right time, Gruffamondo!" he said, shaking his head in panic. "There are bundles of ogres out there now. Everywhere and up and down!" He demonstrated with his hand by waving them both up and down. "I barely made my way here without being discovered!"

"Awesome!" Cubbi lightened up, and was just about to run through the door when Gusto waved, but Gruffi got a hold on his shirt before he managed it out of the door.

"Hey there, cub! let's see first how bad this really is!"

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It looked like Gusto was right. When they looked out from the doors up between the branches in the tree, they found that there were at least four ogres around the tree. They seemed to be looking for something under bushes and under small stones. Little Toadwart was among them, peeking out from a bush. "You-huu! Where aaare you, little Gummies?" He came out of the bush he peeked out from and had a pie in one hand and a net in the other. "Toadie have nice tasty pie for you if you come out!"

"Pika-boo, gummi!" another huge ogre said as he carefully started peeking under a rock on Toadwart's size, then lifted it fast and thought he would find something. He got pretty disappointed when he didn't, then put it down and started looking under another rock.

Another ogre walked around the bushes around the pond with his back bent down, his face almost down at the grass as he called out: "Guuumi-gummi-gummi-gummi! Guuuummi-gummi-gummi-gummi!"

"Really?" Gusto said, giggling from the branch. He was lying on his belly with his arms crossed, having a good time looking at the ogres. "I could watch this for hours!"

Gruffi sat and glared at Gusto, who for a moment ago had warned them not to go out, and now sat enjoying himself watching them. "Well, for my part don't like it."

"Nor do I!" Zummi said, half hiding behind leaves. "This is alarming. I have a feeling Igthorn is up to something."

"He has been quiet for a while now." Grammi said, beside Zummi. "I wouldn't be surprised if he has been planning something in a quiet while. But with these ogres lurking around..."

"I wouldn't exactly call that lurking." Gusto giggled, pointing at them down there.

Another ogre were under them now, half humming while he called "Gummi-gummi-gummi bear, gummi bear, Gummi bear?" *

Gusto had to hold his snout to prevent himself from bursting into laughter, and so did Cubbi, who had as much of a good time as Gusto.

"Say, you didn't pot sigthorn - er... spot Igthorn, did you, Gusto?" Zummi said worried.

"Nope!" Gusto shook his head. "But with mister little one around..." he said, pointing at Toadwart, "...I wouldn't be surprised if he were around somewhere!"

Gruffi got more and more upset, not just about the situation, but of Gusto's lack of seriousness. "Humph! How are we supposed to get things done with these ogres around?"

"Not today, Gruff." Gusto said and sat up straight. "Looks like work has to wait till tomorrow."

"Oh no. There's plenty of other stuff that needs to be done. Inside!" he added, putting weight on 'inside'. "I had planned to finish that tomorrow, but now I'll have to change those plans. Come, Cubbi! We'll go and have a look at the quick cars instead."

"But I wanna watch the ogres!" Cubbi complained.

"It's too dangerous. Come!"

Gusto stared at Gruffi, then at Cubbi, who shrugged at him as he rose and followed Gruffi, and then Gusto stared after them both. He looked at Grammi and Zummi, who only shook their heads in response.

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"I'm here with your breakfast." Cavin said as he entered Unwin's bedroom the next morning.

The teenage squire were lying on his bed, with his bandaged foot placed high up on three pillows and a blanket covering his body, which seemed highly unnecessary. He had one arm leaned over the back of his bed and he gave Cavin a dissatisfied glare. "About time, pipsqueak. What took you so long?"

"It's not that easy when I have to do your chores as well! I don't have time babysitting you all the time." Cavin was more harsh than he normally would be to the elder squire.

"You think I enjoy this?" Unwin said angry, directing his hand to his foot. "Cause I don't! I'd gladly get back on it again if I could. I'm dying of boredom in here!"

Cavin felt he got angry. "Well, if only you..."

"Now, what's all this noise?"

Cavin turned around to see Sir Tuxford enter through the door.

"Oh, Sir Tuxford!" Unwin started with a sore moan. "You know I would have done my chores if I could, but I cannot move from my bed with this painful foot. I have such bad conscience for the poor little boy. You know how much I would have loved to help him if I could. He's too young to understand." He dramatized by putting on a sad expression on his face.

Sir Tuxford seemed to fall for the faked sadness, because he got a sorry expression on his face and walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know, Unwin. But as long as you are still healing, it's not at all to mention that you will get out of bed." Then he turned to Cavin, being angry. "Now, be nicer with him, young man! It has to be this way until Unwin has recovered. It wasn't his fault that he broke his foot, you know that!"

"Yes, Sir Tuxford." Cavin had to force himself not to hiss the words between bitten teeth while he put the stew on the table near his bed. As he left the room, he saw Unwin give a sly smirk towards him. "Why couldn't he had broken his jaw instead?" he muttered before he continued into the corridor.

The following hours he sat in a corner in the stable, cleaning and polishing weapons, and he had his full focus on it. Sometimes he would mutter a curse out at either the sword or the cloth he polished with. Sometimes he would get on with the cloth so hard, he almost cut himself on the sword, and growled at it. He had no interest in other things going on around him.

So he didn't notice that Calla were watching him. She saw how he went on without stop, and also how angry he seemed to be. She looked concerned at him, and after a while she stepped gently towards him. "Cavin?"

He didn't seem to hear her, or ignored her. She wasn't certain, so she tried again. "Cavin?"

"What?" he answered quite cross in his voice, without looking up from his work.

Calla got a bit thrown back at his chilly reply. "Is something the matter? You've been so... occupied recently. Is something bothering you?"

Cavin looked over the sword, put it away, then added more grease on the cloth and started smoothed it over a shield. "I'm fine!"

"But..."

He turned to her with a cross face. "I said I'm fine!" he threw at her. "Now leave me alone so I can finish!"

"Eh... Calla took a step back. "But... My father and I... we are going to town to see the market, and I wondered if..."

Cavin gave a moan and rose. "Fine! I get it. I'll go and help out!" he said and threw the cloth he used to polish with on the shield and left Calla puzzled and confused.

As he walked to the stable door, Sir Tuxford approached from behind the corner, and as he spotted Cavin, he marched towards him as he spoke. "Cavin, there you are! The King and Princess Calla..."

"I'm on my way!" was Cavin's spitting answer when he went through the door.

Sir Tuxford seemed quite startled by not only that Cavin was aware of what he was about to tell, but of the hard tone he answered. Calla noticed her father King Gregor appear behind him, looking quite puzzled of what he had just witnessed. "My, what was that about? I have never seen the lad so cross before?" he said as Calla approached them, looking after him with concerned eyes. The King noticed her worry, and touched her shoulder lightly as he followed her outside.

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Half an hour later, Cavin struggled to finish the last rein of one of the horse's head, and the horse seemed to notice his impatience and got frustrated and shook his head. This didn't actually help Cavin at all.

He didn't notice that King Gregor, Princess Calla and Sir Tuxford standing thirty feet away.

"I'm afraid I may have been a bit too hard on him lately." Sir Tuxford admitted. "There has been allot on him after Unwin got hurt, and he hasn't had much time left."

"I've never actually seen Unwin do something when he was alright!" Calla said with her arms crossed. She had no leftovers for Unwin, and as the situation were for Cavin now, she felt a need to defend him.

"Now, Calla." King Gregor said. "Just because you haven't seen it, does not mean that's the case."

Sir Tuxford gave a sigh. "Maybe he'll manage to calm down If I let him have some hours off while we're away after all."

"I was going to ask him if he wanted to come along with us, but he didn't give me time to finish." Calla said. Then she got an idea and spoke up. "But what if you asked him, father?" She kept talking before her father got to interrupt her, putting on her best appealing face, and blinked and smiled sweetly. "I would like to have some company while you are inside with the traders. You know that they pay no interest in me anyway, and I would be awfully bored. And I'm sure he won't refuse if you asked him. He cannot reject the offer of the King, you know?"

King Gregor laughed and put a hand around his daughter's shoulders. "Of course. What a splendid idea. I'll ask him at once." He walked over to Cavin, who where breathing out in relief that he had finally managed to put the reins on place. He got a suspicious look in his face when the King approached that he tried to hide behind a mask of politeness, but King Gregor smiled friendly at him. "That looks splendid! Say, how would you like to come along with us, Cavin? I believe Calla would like some company while I make deals with the tradesmen."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty!" he said shortly, but as polite as he could. "But I have work I need to do. And someone has to do it!"

The King got surprised at his answer. "But I am sure that can wait a few hours. I have spoken with Sir Tuxford, and he has agreed."

"Well, I don't." And before the King managed to object, he made a bow and started walking away. "Have a nice trip, Your Highness!"

The King got startled at the boy's rejection. "Eh-well... alright. If you say so." But he looked rather puzzled when he watched him go. Calla and Sir Tuxford approached the moment after.

"What happened, father?" Calla asked. "What did he say?"

"That... he had other things he needed to do..." the King answered.

Calla wasn't satisfied with that answer, so she ran after Cavin before she disappeared. "Cavin? Are you sure you don't want to come along?"

Annoyed by being held back he turned to her. "I'll only end up holding horses and just stand there waiting for the rest of you! It will only be boring. I'll be better off here, doing things that need to be done!"

Calla would normally have been angry for such an answer, but his rejection came so sudden that she had trouble believing what she heard. "Well... We are going to be away for a while. If you want to, you could take a trip to Gummi Glen. I'm sure Cubbi would be glad to..."

Cavin sighed. "Sir Tuxford will notice it if I haven't finished when he returns. Unwin's not able to do his work, in case you haven't noticed, so I have to do it all now. I can't risk getting trouble again for running off." He turned away. "Now If you'll mind, I have things that needs to be done, and Unwin's waiting for me to bring him lunch!"

"Already?" Calla puzzled.

"Yeas, already. Because apparently..." he said, as he waved with his arms. "...I was too late with his breakfast!" then he turned away. "So now I'll be early with it. So if you'll excuuuse me, Princess, I'm off!"

And by that, he left towards the stable to deliver the ropes that had been used to lead the horses out. Calla watched him as she slowly turned back to her the wagon where her father were waiting.

"What is going on with him? Wait till Sunni hears about this!"

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He watched them from the stable as the King, Calla and Sir Tuxford went off to through the gate. Cavin looked sad and angry at the same time. As they disappeared, he went back inside where he rested his head in his arms, leaning on the box of his horse, who were chewing satisfied on his hey, but greeted Cavin with a deep neigh.

"What a fool I am. Of course I would have loved to go! And... I shouldn't have been so rude to Calla. It's not her fault." he said to it and leaned his back on the box. "But she would only have talked about the gummies, and that's the least thing I want to talk about now. It's almost so I'm not looking forward to Grandfather's visit next week. I'm still angry at Cubbi." He sighed. "I can't tell her about the quarrel. She'll only think I'm being childish. But it's not my fault that he's always so careless! Why don't he get that I can't watch over him all the time?"

The horse neighed again, and Cavin turned back to it, reached out his arm, and scratched it's mule gently, a gesture that was returned with a slight push at his hand. "Poor fella. It's been a while since you were properly out on a ride." he sighed. "I could have... but then no. Unwin and his lunch." He muttered. "I guess I should be going." He said to the horse and gave him one last pat on the mule before he went off.

* _Imagine the ogre singing this to 'Mary had a little lamb'._


	4. Chapter 4

"Where are we, Gruffi?" Cubbi looked around in the underground tunnel. It was quite small, tall enough for Tummi to walk through straight up, and just enough for his belly to get through. At the end of the tunnel, were an opening to a strong stream of water. He and Gruffi were both carrying a bucket of garbage containing leftovers and scraps from the last meal. As he came closer, Cubbi found that there were a sort of air bubble that lead to the river. There were light shining from the surface, and were reflected in the water, causing light to shine through it and up to them.

"We are in a cave close to the river nearby. This is where we throw away the garbage and whatever unnecessary dumpster we want to get rid of. And... well, we're using this as a solution when the lavatory strikes."

"Ewww..." Cubbi said. "But... don't we have the dumbster on the kitchen to do that?

"Nah-eh..." Gruffi said. "That's why we're here: because that's temporarily undisputable right now. It must have had one round too much of Grammi's special surprise stew. We're gonna work a bit with that later."

"But... doesn't it smell then?" Cubbi asked, wrinkling his snout.

"That's why it this tunnel was placed near the river; so it would carry away the stuff we don't want." Gruffi said, and demonstrated by throwing the contain in his bucket. Cubbi was amazed with how fast the trash was carried away with the water, right under the wall. Gruffi put the bucket down, clapping dust of his paws. "Now it's your turn!"

Cubbi giggled and did just the same with his own bucket, only his fill made a splash when he let it fall into the water, which hit Gruffi's feet, so he had to jump away. "Hey! Careful with that!"

"This was fun!" Cubbi said exited and tirned to Gruffi, smiling wide. "Can we do it again?"

Gruffi had to smile and gave a laugh. "Well... It's good to hear you find at least some duties a bit exiting. But we have to get back to take a look at the kitchen dumbster."

"But this is a more fun way of getting rid of it!" Cubbi said.

"Perhaps..." Gruffi said. "But it's tiresome to carry garbage all this way several times, and it takes up allot of time. Can you see Grammi and Zummi do this several times a day?"

"Eh..." Cubbi started to see the issue.

"That's right!" Gruffi said. "So let's head back to get things done!"

Cubbi was about to follow him when as he saw how a piece of old rope had gotten stuck in a rock sticking out of the hole. He turned back to unleash it, held it in the water, watching it as it was dragged from it. "I think I know how to make some fun out of this!" he whispered to himself.

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Other where, in the forest, the Duke was getting impatient with the ogres. Sitting in his tent in where they had camped near the machine he had constructed, sitting by a table drinking ale while getting repport by Toadwart. "Well? No gummi bears yet?"

Poor Toadwart was wriggling his toes as he barely looked op to his master. "N-no, your grueful and nastynes. No sign of gummies anywhere in forest. We tried everything."

The Duke hit his large fist in the table, spilling out all his ale over, and over Toadwart as well. "HOW is it POSSIBLE? Why do those gummies always show up when they're NOT supposed to be there, but when I FINALLY need one, they're all gone into thin air?"

"Dunno." Toadwart said, licking the ale of his shoulder. "Maybe they gone to wedding?" *

Duke igthorn got so angry for the comment that he threw the ale out of the tent's opening and rose up with his fists planted in the table. "And why would they be, Toadwart? As far as I know, the silly dummy bears consist only a handful, and they're only elders and cubs! They would either be too old or too young for marriage!"

"Maybe not then..." Toadwarth tried a moment to actually think. Then it struck him, and he held up a finger as he smiled widely. "They gone to birthday party?"

Poor Duke Igthorn seemed to be somewhere between bursting out in anger and breaking into tears, as he leaned his head backwards, rolled his eyes and moaned desperately between bitten teeth and his fists prepared to chocked anything that came near.

Toadwart was quite satisfied with his conclusion, but the Duke obviously disagreed, and before he knew the word of it, the little ogre were tree feet above the ground, lifted up by his pelt coat and held close into his masters face. "WHAT BIRTDAY PARTY YOU MISERABLE PIECE OF WALKING TALKING TRASH?" he screamed to him, his face getting red and his eyebrows threatening to sink down on his nose.

"P-p-p-per-h-ha-hap-p-ps..." he swallowed hard and tried one last time. "...P-P-Princess Calla?"

The Duke's face grew deeper red as he snarled, steam came out of his nostrils and his eyes went larger.

As a last resort, the tiny ogre gave it one last try in order to, if not satisfy his maser then at least delay the horrible upcoming threat he would be facing any moment. "O-o-o-or maybe p-p-page boy?"

Duke Igthorn drew his breath deep about to scowl the little ogre once more. But that changed radically as it seemed like something went up for him. "Of course!" he said, and his grip on Toadwart loosened, causing the ogre to fall back on the ground with a yelp.

"Why didn't I think of that before? I am a genious!" The Duke said, smiling as he walked out of the tent, Toadwart following with a hand rubbing his behind from the fall.

"May I ask, your naughtyness, what is genious?"

Igthorn whirled back, gripping Toadwarth again, and whiled him around in a dance as he spoke. "The page, Toadwart! Cavin, the page! That little brat is always carrying a bottle of gummiberry juice with him. Half the times we've encountered those bears, he's been there as well, drinking that stupid juice. So if we find the boy, it's clearly that we'll find juice. Right?" The victory dance of the Duke ended suddenly, and as he stretched out his arm in a finishing gesture, Toadwart geve a loud cry when the Duke let go o him and he flew twenty feet away, for then to land in the bushes nearby.

Slightly confused, he peeked his head up from the leaves with birds singing around his head before he was once again lifted up by Igthorn. "It is a brilliant plan, right? Tell me it's a brilliant plan, Toadwart!" he said, a bit softer this time.

Still dizzy from the flight, Toadwart nodded. "Oh yes, Dukie's plan is brilliant!" he said, and then shook his head to remove the last birds singing around his head. "But where to find boy?"

"If he's with the bears, then he's here in the forest somewhere." Igthorn said. "But if not..." He once again let go of Toadwart, and just dropped him back in the bushes. "... then he's at the castle! A page always has duties to attend to at the Castle! And it's most likely that the place he'll be right now, since the bears has been so silent. Come along, Toadwart!"

Toadwart peeked up from the bushes again, shaking his head from leaves. "Toadie should really consider a change of career if going on like this!"

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Later during the day, Cubbi and Gruffi had joined the others for lunch. They had bread with gummiberry jam and they all ate with eager. Except for Cubbi, who were unusually silent. Grammi noticed and looked at him while she was serving a second round of milk for everyone. "You're so silent, Cubbi dear. Is something the matter?"

Cubbi woke from his thoughts. "Uh-uhm... Nothing's wrong, Grammi. I just... I was so hungry I was busy eating." He hurried to lift his plate to her with his best smile. "Could I have some more, please?"

Grammi alwasy got happy when someone a seldom time liked her food, so she smiled back at him. "Of course, huneybear! In a moment."

"Have Igthorn shown any sign the fast dew lays... er- last few days?" Zummi asked Gruffi at the other end of the table.

Gruffi swallowed the rough bread slice before he responded. "Not Iggy himself, but the ogres haven't stopped poking around. I still think he's up to something." He rose, taking his plate with him and filled the garbage bucket with the leftovers.

"I'm getting nervous about this." Tummi said before taking another bite of his bread. "I can barely eat."

"Yeah, I can see that." Gusto teased him.

"Why don't we go to warn the Castle?" Sunni said. "If I tell Calla, she can tell the King to be aware!"

"Well, it might be a good idea to make sure the King is alarmed." Zummi said. "Although, he must be given a reason to come to the forest. And since there hasn't been anything else besides the lots of ogres..."

"We can just tell Calla and Cavin about it." Sunni said, rising from her chair, leaning her hands on the table. "And then we can discuss it. Maybe there's something they know that we don't?"

Cubbi took a bigger bite of the bread slice Grammi had given him.

"Now, that might work." Zummi said. "It's worth a try anyway. It's easier when we have information from other hold."

"Fine!" Gruffi said and was about to leave the room with the garbage bucket. "Involve the humans, once again!"

The elders left the kitchen, except Grammi, who were about to take the dishes. Cubbi and Sunni were the last to leave, and Sunni grabbed Cubbi's arm eagerly. "Come on, Cubbi! Let's go!"

"Go where?" Cubbi said.

"To the castle to see Calla and Cavin, of course!" she answered.

But Cubbi wrestled himself out f her grip, rather roughly. "Not now. You go. I... Have to help Gruffi! He can't do everything himself, you know."

He ran after the direction Gruffi had gone, leaving Sunni as a huge question.

"He didn't want to go to the castle?" Grammi asked from the kitchen door, looking after him.

"Seems like it." Sunni said before she turned around, scratching her head slightly confused. "Wait till Calla hears about that!"

Grammi turned back to the kitchen with a puzzled look. "That cub hasn't been himself lately. I wonder what's gotten into him?"

Cubbi caught up with Gruffi in the great hall. "Gruffi, wait!"

Gruffi turned around to face Gruffi, who were rather cunfused to see him. "You didn't go to the castle?"

"Nope!" Cubbi said. "I thought I'd be helping you instead."

"Oh? well in that case..." he handed the bucket to Cubbi. "...you can take this while I have a second look at the doorways on the other end of the Glen to make sure the ogres don't get in."

"Eh... sure." he said and made a face of the smelling garbage.

"And be careful not to fall into the river!" Gruffi said as he left. "That stream is pretty strong. "

"This isn't what I had in mind." he mumbled to himself as he started walking to the tunnel that lead to the place he and Gruffi had been earlier. "But... wait!" he stopped and put the bucket down, and instead ran to Gruffi's workshop. When he returned, he had a rope around his shoulder. "Now I can try out my idea!"

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In a rush, Cubbi was in the cave he and Gruffi had been in earlier that day. The garbage bucket stood empty by the stone wall. Cubbi had tied the rope to one of the solid rocks by the edge of the river, and now he held the other edge in one hand while he had a flat piece of wood tied to his feet. He took of his hat, placed it in his belt, and bent his knees, preparing to jump.

"And ready... set... GO!"

And by that, he made a jump upon the river and landed with the wood on the water, and he held a tight grip on the rope and the water threatened to pull him away. While the stream pulled him, the wood plank held him up, and he was surfing on the stream. "Oh boy! This is better than I thought! WOIIIIIII!" He cried out as he moved the plank to one side to another, causing it to swing in the stream as waves came through the opening. He was having fun for a short minute before the plank suddenly got it's tip under water and Cubbi was unexpectedly pulled under water. He lost the plank, but managed to pull himself up again for a short minute. "This d-d-nt go as planned." he said under the water. And as another wave came at sudden, Cubbi was pulled under water again and lost the grip of the rope and was dragged under it.

He was dragged under for about ten seconds before he managed to swim back up to the surface. He gasped for air and managed to keep himself up as he followed the stream. "Oh no! Where does this go?" He got the answer shortly afterwards, because he saw light right in front of him. Before he knew the word of it, he was out in daylight, and fell with a splash in another river. He swam up again, spit water out of his mouth, and looked around. "Where did I end up now?"

"Great gummies! Cubbi?"

Cubbi turned around to find Gruffi running towards the river after him. He ran out to an outstanding trunk and caught Cubbi by his shirt and pulled him up. "What in the great name of the Ancient Gummies were you doing? Didn't I tell you to be careful up there?"

"Eh... yeah, but I... Sorry." he said, looking down. "I eh...slipped."

Gruffi sighted. "Aw well, let's get you inside and dried up before you take a chill." Gruffi said and guided him towards the door nearby.

"Gruffi?" Cubbi asked to switch the subject. "Where do the garbage river come from?"

"It's a divided part of the brook that provides the roof window in the great hall with water. It's just that there water has found another way in between. It's the same river taking two roads to end up in the greater river. So this one will meet the other further down."

"You mean it splits into two sides and go back together again?"

"Precisely!" Gruffi said. "Now get inside!"

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When night came along, Duke Igthorn and Toadwart were sneaking themselves over the castle wall, using a rope and a hook to climb. As the Duke landed on the other side, poor Toadwart trew the hook down, and jumped, obviously expecting his Master to catch him, a deed that was out of the evil humans head, casing the little ogre to land hard on the ground instead.

"Be quiet you imbecile!" the Duke hissed. Toadwart, being a solid ogre despite his size, got up and followed him.

"Toadie think maybe this plan not so good." the ogre said.

"Quit complaining! It's our best option!" Igthorn responded as they closed to the stable.

"But..." Toadwarth continued. "Don't Dukie recall; each time we try capturing Princess Calla, we always get caught by someone, or plan fails, and..." Toadwarth kept counting with his fingers when the Duke grabbed his head, forcing him to look up at him.

"Princess Calla is King Gregor's highest priority, and therefore always guarded. But no one will pay such notice to a simple page. He'll be an easy pray if only we sneak up on him."

He went silent when he became aware of a sound of steps approaching, and hid behind the walls as they heard a voice. "Why are you so late, Cavin? Why is this the same as the lunch? Why didn't you bring me water as well?" Cavin complained as he walked around the other corner of the stable. "Why do I even bother?" he cried out in anger. "Be nice to him, Cavin. He's injured!" the boy gave a growl as he walked through the stable. "Like I haven't got enough to worry about! I don't get time to finish anything around here!"

As the boy disappeared through the door, Igthorn gave Toadwart a nod, and they tip-toed towards the doors. He grabbed a sack he had tied to his belt as he whispered. "You stand here keeping an eye on the door as I go in. He's just a child, he'll be a light match!" he sneakered as he silently walked in.

He watched as Cavin went to the end of the stable to fetch a heyfork. "Sorry guys, it seems like I have to clean up for you now, since I've had _other_ things to deal with all day." he said as he approached the horses, starting to open the box and entered it. Igthorn, who had hidden from behind the short walls, tiptoed from his knees with his back bowed to get closer without being seen. As he approached the box he was about to lift his head to make his next move, to see how to get a grab on Cavin.

But as he lifted his head up, grinning with excitement, he were hit by a pile of wet hey in the face, with quite a force as well. He hurried to lower his face and had to work hard to not give himself away as the disgusting smell from the hey filled his nostrils and made him make a face.

Cavin, ready to throw another pile over the box, got annoyed when he found that half of the other pile had only fallen on the inside of the box, frowned as he lifted it up with the fork and threw it over the box, not noticing it landed right on top of Igthorn's head, who were frowning even more, hissing low, barely able to hold himself much longer.

Shaking of the hey, he gave a low growl as he rose, preparing the sack, but another pile of hey was incoming in his face, and he had to step away to avoid getting hit again, but then he failed to see the bucket standing right where he placed his foot, and not stepping into it was just too much to ask for.

"Ratsss!" he hissed lowly.

As he managed to get the wooden bucked attached to his foot, he stepped on one foot, in a clumsy try not to be exposed. But a stable at night isn't the lightest place, and Igthorn discovered this as he first managed to step with his free foot on a rake lying on the floor, causing this to fly upwards to his face, causing him then to stumble backwards and hit his shoulder on a beam, waking up a horse with the muffled cry he made as he sank down.

"I'll get to you soon. Be patient!" Cavin said angry, apparently thinking it was the horse causing the noise. He was so focused on his work that he failed to notice Igthorn just underneath the wall. The Duke got back to himself, shaking his head and rubbing his nose from where the rake hit, and rose carefully up again, forgetting a moment that he still had the bucket on his foot and stepped down with it. Angry with this, and impatient as he was known to be, Igthorn tried to shake the bucket off his foot by kicking it hard out in the air, at last managing to shake it off. But he used to much force that he managed to throw it across the other end of the room, and Igthorn watched with a frozen face what was about to happen as the bucket hit the shield and the weapons that was carefully placed up to the wall.

The noise that followed were enough to alarm all the horses, and both startled Cavin so much that the boy fell backwards and almost got hit by the horse he was standing next to when it rose. But Cavin got back in balance. "Now what?" He quickly and made a jump over the box to see what caused the mess, and his eyes widened by the sight of the weapons that had fallen down. Igthorn was behind him and was about to grab him, but at the same time, a horse was distressed by him causing the noise, so it found that it wanted to bite Igthorn's shoulder as a punishment. Igthorn was so startled by the bite that he let out a loud cry of pain. Cavin immediately turned around and almost froze at the sight of the Duke. "Igthorn!" he cried out.

Igthorn quickly let go of the wounded shoulder and got focused of Cavin again. "I've got you now, boy! You're NOT getting away!" he said, and tried once again to grab a hold on him. But Igthorn failed once again to see where he stepped, and as he stepped forward to grab Cavin, he stepped on the rake once more, and got it swung up and his him, this time in his side, and made him fall to the boxes to his right, giving Cavin the opportunity to escape to the side. He grabbed the spade and gave him another hit in his side, causing him to cry out an then moan, before Cavin ran out.

Outside, Toadwarth heard the noise and got worried. "Oh no, Toadie warned Dukie this was not good idea. Toadie must help his master before...BAPH!" Before Toadwart was able to do anything, Cavin had swung to stable door open and ran towards the courtyard where he cried out as loud as he could.

"Guards! Quick! Igthorn!"

Inside the stables, Igthorn had come to himself and snuck outside where he found the still dozed off Toadwarth. "Wake up, you sleeping imbecile!" he hissed between his teeth and shook him.

"There! Grab him!"

Igthorn turned around to see the two guards run towards him. Panicing, Igthorn begun running, letting go of Toadwarth, who woke up himself to get frightened by the guards, crying out loud and run after his master. "Wait for loyal Toadwarth, your nasty-stinkingness!" he cried as the guards followed him. He managed to catch up with his master, and panthed beside him. "Easy match, Dukie?"

"Shut your snout and RUN!" the Duke responded and led them behind a shade corner where the guards failed to notice them.

Back in the courtyard, Cavin stood by the stable doors and puzzled. "Why would Igthorn after me?"


End file.
